


Fingers In Your Hair

by EzraTheBlue



Series: Target Practice [3]
Category: Saiyuki
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Trust, mild hair kink, references to canon-typical child abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-28 13:53:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8448610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzraTheBlue/pseuds/EzraTheBlue
Summary: With all that hair, sometimes Gojyo could use a little help. Hakkai offers.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for a request on Tumblr from sinkme, for "Anything that includes Gojyo wearing some kind of fancy updo." I took this somewhere a little different. Hopefully, it's a good kind of different.

**Fingers In Your Hair**

“Would you like me to comb your hair?”

Gojyo jumped a little at the question, gripping the towel around his waist tighter, and twisted over his shoulder to see Hakkai peering into the bathroom from the door. Despite it being a communal inn bathroom, he’d thought he was alone: just him and the hanyou in the mirror. Hakkai chuckled in that usual way of his, holding a hand up. “My goodness, don’t look so surprised. I can see how tangled it is from back here. Perhaps you’d like a hand?”

This elicited a snort from Gojyo, and he turned back to the mirror and turned his face side to side, pretending he was looking at his freshly-shaved cheeks and definitely not looking at the tangles in the middle of the back of his hair. “It’s a pain when it gets blood and stuff in it. It’s all good. It’ll work itself out in a few days.”

“Did you want to wait for it to come out on its own?” Hakkai stepped in as if he hadn’t heard the rebuff, already rolling his sleeves. “I can reach it very easily.”

“It’s fine.” Gojyo shrank back, but when Hakkai started, he realized just how sharp his tone had been, and faced Hakkai with an easy, broad grin. “Look, I’m sure you have a million better things to do than untangle this mop. Don’t worry about me.”

“I’m only starting to do so now.” Hakkai’s brow knit up in curiosity. “Are you certain you wouldn’t like some help? I’ll be gentle.”

Gojyo was about to say no again, but the concern in Hakkai’s face told him that might be a mistake. He’d likely send Hakkai worrying up the wall. Was his stupid machismo really worth giving Hakkai an anxiety attack? “If you’re real gentle, then sure, why not?”

Hakkai pulled the stool from the shower in front of the mirror and encouraged Gojyo to sit, because that inch difference in height was enough to make it hard to do a thorough job (according to Hakkai), and Gojyo hunched over because there was something in his chest seizing and squeezing and moving his mouth, saying “I’ll lean my head forward so you can reach,” (because that’s what Hakkai needed to hear), and Hakkai picked up Gojyo’s comb. Gojyo watched the narrow plastic teeth where they extended from his fingers, and flinched as Hakkai lifted it to examine it.

“It’s a little bent. Perhaps I’ll get you a new one.” Gojyo had to hold his relief in as Hakkai rubbed his thumb down the teeth, but when Hakkai extended his arm, his back tensed.

The comb moved through the front of his hair easily. Hakkai’s pull was gentle, and his knuckles brushed against his cheekbone as the comb moved down and past. Gojyo couldn’t hold back a little sigh. Hakkai had been true to his word. He couldn’t recall anyone being so gentle with his hair before.

“Are you alright?” Hakkai’s voice was low, but with his head bent, Gojyo couldn’t see his expression.

“Yeah, m'fine.” He grinned to himself. “It’s been a while since I let anyone else touch it. Just keep going easy, alright?”

Hakkai hummed an agreement, and ran the comb through Gojyo’s hair again, moving towards the back. The comb slid through, Hakkai’s fingers behind it. Gojyo remembered women grabbing his hair and pulling it. Hakkai found a little tangle and carefully worked it out with his fingertips and the end of the comb. Gojyo recalled how Jien would yank his hair tight when he was cutting it or working the matted blood out, not knowing better or not having the luxury to give it care. When the comb caught on a knot, Hakkai gasped.

“Ah, sorry.” He set the comb on the counter and ran his fingers through his hair, and Gojyo could feel the pads of Hakkai’s fingers on his scalp as he loosened the kink and worked it out, then ran his fingers through it as easily as silk. “There, isn’t that better?”

Gojyo lifted his head to look, and saw a little bit of pink in Hakkai’s cheeks and a bright, reassuring smile. He only hoped that Hakkai didn’t think the unbidden tears in his eyes were a rejection, because he smeared them back and put on a smile. “It’s a lot better,” he rasped, and Hakkai’s expression changed.

Gojyo was thinking of a rotten old bitch who’d slung him around with her claws wound through his locks, who’d tear at his scalp and shred clumps of it out, and though Gojyo was holding it back, Hakkai had already put it together.

Hakkai didn’t have to ask. Hakkai had known him long enough. The look that had passed between them through the mirror told Hakkai everything. Rather than dare say a word, he set his lips thin and returned to work.

The next stroke of the comb was even gentler than the last, and Hakkai’s fingers ran through his locks to chase it in a more deliberate massage. Gojyo soaked up the touch like a sponge left in the sun, and even more so the words of praise that followed: “It really is lovely. You take such good care of it.” He ran the comb through again, then ran his palm down the fall of it. “It’s as soft as silk now that it’s neat.”

“Hakkai, you–”

“Perhaps,” he interrupted, his tones hard with an edge of what sounded like neither anger nor frustration, but something deeper. “Some oil, to help with the split ends you get on the road. I’d hate for you to have to cut your hair off for something as frivolous as our haphazard lifestyle.”

Gojyo tried to keep his head still but couldn’t help another snort. “I don’t have split ends.”

“One or two. It’s best to nip them in the bud quickly, don’t you think? I could try…” Hakkai hummed in thought, then dragged the comb through Gojyo’s hair again, slowly, just letting the teeth scratch his skin. “Avocado. The oil in avocado would prevent split ends and keep it shiny.”

Gojyo couldn’t hold back a snicker. “Come on, man, you’re not putting avocado in my hair.”

“I only want to keep it nice.” Hakkai combed Gojyo’s bangs once through, pulling that stubborn bit that always stuck up back and clean, then smoothed it all back into place with his palm. “It should be kept nice.” Gojyo dared look up, only to see warm, deep affection in the crescent of his smile. Hakkai leaned down, his chin next to Gojyo’s forehead in the mirror, and the quirk of his eyebrows hinted at mischief now. “It really is very lovely. Perhaps you could do more with it than just wear it loose or tie it in a ponytail.”

“Yeah?” Gojyo smirked, then turned his head to admire Hakkai’s work. Smooth as silk, sleek as satin down his shoulders, as if Hakkai were an expert. “What’d you have in mind?”

“Your trust.” Hakkai straightened his back and laced his fingers. “May I have it?”

That was hardly even a question. “Always have, dude.” Gojyo shook his hair out. “Have at me.”

Hakkai’s expression brightened, and the whole bathroom seemed to do the same, as if someone had turned the lights up in Gojyo’s soul. “Close your eyes.”

Gojyo complied, and in a moment, Hakkai’s fingers were woven into his hair again. He could feel Hakkai running his fingertips through the strands, then gently pulling bits and pieces into place. He twisted and wrought through with the utmost care, and Gojyo shivered as Hakkai swept the curtain of his hair up and off his neck. He couldn’t tell what Hakkai was doing, he could only feel his fingers in his hair. He relaxed into the sensation, the light tugs and careful pulls, each precise and laden with care, and though the massage was nice enough, the emotion and affection in it pulled him in and under. He could drown in this feeling.

“Why don’t you look now?” He faintly realized Hakkai was talking to him, and dared open an eye. The mirror held the same hanyou that had been there a few minutes ago, but with his hair all done up. Hakkai had woven a few braids into it, all coming up into a twisted bun held in place with a careful weave of his hair. Some of it still hung loose from the back like a partial ponytail, but it came together in a sleek, pretty twist, elegant, but distinctly feminine. Gojyo actually laughed, then stood up, holding the towel tight to his waist.

“I’ll be the prettiest girl at the party.” He smirked down at Hakkai, who merely smiled back in his unflappable way.

“I think you look charming.”

“You got a weird sense of humor.” Gojyo patted his arm. “I like it.”

Hakkai smiled, then pushed a loose strand of hair behind Gojyo’s ear. “I like it too. Would you like me to remove it?”

“Nah. Leave it. Let’s let the monkey get a few laughs.” He grinned, then slung his towel over his shoulder and strolled out, whistling tunelessly and contently even as Hakkai mock-gasped in scandal behind him, but only watched him go.

The little braids and coils left still felt like Hakkai’s fingers. He was fine carrying that around; it was better than the memories his hair usually carried. Nah, his hair was pretty nice. He might as well enjoy it.


End file.
